A Special Thanks To Nurses

Dear Diary,

I sent Garrett out to get the mail today and when I asked him what we got and his response was, "Something from Shawnee Mission Medical Center." My first thought was, "Really? We already got the bill?" Turns out, it was a Congratulations card from the Nursing staff who took care of Olivia and I in the hospital. It was a simple card, one they probably send to everyone, but each Nurse that took care of me had written a small note and signed it. Some just wrote a short Congrats to me or a Good Luck to life with Olivia, as I am sure they were reminded of my daughters name being that they see so many patients on a daily basis, BUT what really touched me were the Nurses who included something personal. They made me feel like I wasn't just another patient, but someone they enjoyed taking care of, or at least took the time to remember who I was.

I can't give Nurses enough credit. Of course Doctors are important. I love my Doctor and if it weren't for her, my daughters wouldn't have gotten the prenatal care they needed, nor would I have been able to deliver two healthy, beautiful girls. But with both of my hospital stays in the past 2 years, the Nurses have really stood out the most to me. I remember their names, the advice they gave me, the help they offered and their true understanding for what I was going through.

With Addalyn it was my Labor Nurse who stood by that monitor and realized that maybe we better get the Doctor over in a hurry and get Addy out safe and soundly. It was one of my Postpartum Nurses who walked me through everything I needed to know about taking care of a new baby and helped me recover the best I could from surgery before going home. With Olivia it was the Surgery Nurse who made me feel as comfortable as I could going through another C-Section. It was the Nurse Anesthetist who talked to me the entire time I was going throughh surgery, distracting me from what was going on behind that big blue curtain and even grabbing the camera to snap a couple photos of us meeting our daughter for the first time without being asked. And again, it was one of my Postpartum Nurses who helped me get another stubborn baby to finally figure out how to breastfeed.

These Nurses see patients like me every single day at their job. It would be easy for them to follow the routine, give me only the attention needed to get me through my stay and move on to the next patient on their list. But, these Nurses - Julie, Ramonda, Britney, Nick, Mary Kay, Lee and Jacque - are people who are meant to do what they are doing. I will always remember their names, the way they treated me and my babies and the impact they had on such an important part of my life.

So, Thank You Nurses! It takes a special person to do the jobs that you do. I certainly couldn't do it. And remember, those extra little things you do for your patients, the advice you give out for free and the kind words that you say when maybe you don't feel like it mean so much more to patients like me than you'll ever know!

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon"

Sincerely Yours,